


Couldn't Get to You

by beatlesgrl



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombies, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I'll add more as I go, M/M, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombie Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2018-01-17 16:18:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1394146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beatlesgrl/pseuds/beatlesgrl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek Hale didn't like the IT problem they had. The IT were like zombies of legend except worse, they didn't just eat brains. They ate everything until their bones were picked clean and their bellies were no longer convex. One day, though, while out with his team to look for potential food and survivors, he gets left behind and is stuck with one IT to bring back, to study. Then the IT starts to...talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

In all his time living in this New World, he never imagined that he’d become part of the Pack. The Pack only took members who had no family anymore, nothing to live for except to just do whatever people told them to do. After all, it wouldn’t be fair to send out a father of three to get supplies and food in the danger zones.

Then again, Derek didn’t think he’d lose his entire family in a freak-IT accident.

That’s what they call the zombie-like things that prowl in the danger zones, just outside New London. They didn’t act like stereotypical zombies, but they wanted the same thing: brains. Really, they ate anything off a human they could, and the survivors of an IT attack...

Well, Derek would rather be killed is all he’s saying.

His family wasn’t even in the danger zones. They were out in the safe zones, just outside the city, where the fences were supposed to be high enough that people can go out there, get fresh air away from the city. Instead, they got an attack by the IT. Killed nearly everyone, and the ones that survived quickly became one of them.

The safe zones were closed after that.

Derek had managed to escape their fates by simply deciding to not go with them, but instead spend time in their meager two room apartment, split between his parents, his aunt and uncle,  and his 3 siblings.

Now he still has the two room apartment, but he can’t bring himself to move into his parent’s bedroom. He was supposed to submit an application to be rehoused, give his bigger apartment up to those who needed it and get a much smaller one, but he couldn’t bring himself to give up those memories. The government didn’t punish him for it, but considering the letters he kept getting, he should do it.

He didn’t.

In this age of IT attacks and problems with finding all the necessary supplies and such, he knew that him clinging to things he didn’t need per say was an act of treason. After the US collapsed, and the rest of the world basically, the survivors had almost agreed that they would go to a sharing system. Democracy and ownership needed to take a backseat to the problems of the world, to the limited sources everyone had. However, the city officials didn’t charge Derek since it was technically their fault that Derek lost all his family.

The corporations didn’t really like it though, hence the stacks of letters.

The city siren rang out, announcing that the work day has started, and therefore everyone needed to get up. Derek stirred from his bed with a growl. He knew he needed to get up and go do his job, that he needed to be ‘the upstanding citizen that New London called him to be’, but really what was the point?

A cannon shot through the silence, letting the citizens know that they were safe from the IT again, and he remembered.

He got out of bed and stretched. Time to be that outstanding citizen.

* * *

“Did you hear that IT-go is releasing another IT repelling spray?”

Derek rolled his eyes at his partner’s enthusiasm. No spray has ever worked, just made people think it did. Not a lot of things from that company did. It was the only thing in this messed-up world that gave people hope, that they’d be able to fight off any IT attack easily. Derek never had the heart to voice what he knew though. That these sprays were as helpful against attacks like pretending they don’t exist is helpful.

As in they weren’t.

But all he said in response was, “Maybe this time it’ll work.” It wouldn’t. “You ready to go out tonight Isaac?”

Isaac was there because a few years ago his brother was killed by the IT and his dad had turned into one without the government knowing it. He would’ve taken Isaac too if Isaac hadn’t booked it out of there as soon as he tried to take a big chunk out of Isaac’s leg.

Now he had no one, just like Derek.

“If we must,” Isaac sighed. He seemed to hold on to hope that one day, they’ll be able to stop this problem and return to normal. Isaac put on his kevlar vest (not really helpful against the IT but better than nothing) and attached all the weapons that they needed, “You ready?”

Derek tucked his trusted knife in his boot and stood, “As I’ll ever be.” 


	2. Chapter 2

The trek to outside of the borders always took about a couple hours from the building the Pack called their headquarters. It was originally a lot closer, but as the years went on, the more territory they were able to reclaim until it was quite a walk to pass the gates. No one bothered to inform the government or IT-go that the Pack might need to be closer, but a little walking never hurt no one.

Derek watched as his other Pack members played with each other slightly, shoving each other and cracking jokes. Derek didn’t want to join them, but he didn’t want to stop them either. It’s rare anymore that happiness is found.

Their task today, it seemed based on the equipment set out by the leaders, was to go a yet to be examined area far far away from the city. The drive seemed to take forever, anyways, and the GPS was just coming up on their final destination.

“Do you think we’ll find more sugar?” Boyd, one of Derek’s favorite Pack mates, asked, his usual still face showing a bit of hope for the sweet treat. It was rare to come across a lot of it in the city, but sometimes, if they were lucky, there’d be some in whatever area they were looking.

If.

Derek just shrugged and watched Boyd’s girlfriend, Erica, sigh dreamily, “Sugar. I miss it sometimes. From before, you know?”

Derek nodded. They all missed the before.

The GPS finally told them to stop just before a sign that read, “Don’t Dead Enter Inside”.

Wait. “Don’t Enter Dead Inside.” Why did they put it the first way. Must’ve been the crazy from the first IT attacks.

“Think there’s still some IT’s in there?” Isaac asked, a smirk on his face. Out of all the Pack, Isaac seemed to be the one that takes the most pleasure from killing the IT. Derek thought it had to do with his father trying to attack him mid-transformation, and Isaak wanting to get his own kind of revenge on his feelings of weakness. Derek didn’t know.

They all opened the doors to their military jeeps and got out, immediately heading to the back to get their weapons. In a zone like this, weapons can be useless against an attack, but it slows the IT down enough that it allows the Pack to make an escape.

He’s lost so many Pack that way.

Derek gathered his favorite weapons, a few boomerang throwing knifes and armor that allows him to punch the IT without being bitten on his arms.

“Alright, Pack.” Derek begins, “The goal of this hunt is the same. See if it’s clear and gather as much supplies as you can carry.” Most of his Pack rolled their eyes at him, this was an old speech, but it comforted Derek to repeat it so they never said otherwise, “Avoid the IT if possible. If not possible, take as many down with you as you can.”

The Pack nodded and braced for their favorite words.

“The Moon has risen, it’s time for the hunt.”

* * *

 

The building in the zone was a clear house, abandoned like the rest of them outside of the new city, with a kitchen almost stripped of food but everything else intact. The dead grass in the lawns was a mild improvement to the desert-like environment surrounding them. But the abandoned tire swing on the dead tree in the backyard was very somber-like.

He heard Erica crow at something she found in the kitchen, and Derek shook his head at the backyard. No use thinking on the past. It just made him more sad for what used to be.

He heard the pack come back slowly, carrying what seemed to be old sheets and blankets, and in Erica’s case a whole bag of flour. Boyd was carrying the sugar and old pillows. Technically, the Pack weren’t to bring sheets and blankets for supplies to the government and IT-go, but they were allowed to bring them for their own places, for whatever they wanted. Isaac liked to make things from what was left over.

Just as they were throwing it in the jeep, though, he heard a snarl from behind them. Derek was the first to turn, and he saw one IT coming towards them.

Like most IT, he was both skinny and bloated. His torso looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, his ribs poking out, yet his face was bloated from death. It was like his body couldn’t decide if he was a mummy or a body buried in the ground soaking up rain water. They still kept some old features from before, and this one had a buzzcut and a nose that turned up just so that if he were alive...

Derek wouldn’t do anything because Derek didn’t want anybody else.

This one seemed to be coming fast, much faster than they normally do. His jaw also seemed to be moving, like he was trying to talk.

Or maybe he was chewing something.

Either way, Derek knew that his team could take him down easily, and was unconcerned. That is, until he saw Isaac was in IT’s line of vision. And Isaac didn’t know, too preoccupied with marking the front door as ‘NSL’ (No supplies left). Derek did the one thing that he could think of.

He jumped in front of IT and attacked.

Isaac turned at that, from what Derek could see, and he could see his Pack trying to come to his rescue.

“Just wait! I’ll be fine! I’ve got this!”

Derek dodged and weaved around the IT’s attacks, but just barely. They were notorious for their fast movements and quick reflexes. Plus their snake-like jaws. The IT was swiping his arms to any part of Derek it could reach, and Derek felt something hit his chest, but he didn’t think it was a problem. When the IT saw that just hitting him wouldn’t do, he started using his teeth. Derek avoided a bite at least three times before he was able to knock the IT on the ground. It didn’t seem dead, but it wasn’t going to move.

Derek stood above the IT, breathing slowly and trying to force his heartrate down.

He turned to the rest of his Pack, and saw the look of fear in their eyes. He looked to his torso, and a large cut was right there, and although Derek couldn’t feel it, he knew it was deep.

He looked back at his Pack and slowly nodded to them. They know the rules. If one of them were injured during a fight with an IT, no matter where, had to be left behind. A person could turn from just anything, from what everyone knew. And if they didn’t, the smell of their blood quickly attracted more IT to the rest of the Pack.

The Pack took a step towards Derek, like they wanted to hug him goodbye, but Derek stepped away and shook his head, “You can’t. Just go.”

Boyd, Erica, and Isaac all looked like they’d rather shoot off their own foots than leave Derek, but soon they all piled into the Jeep and left. The last one into the vehicle was Isaac, who Derek regretted leaving the most. Isaac was the most like a brother to Derek, and it hurt to see the look on Isaac’s face. He too got in, though, leaving Derek behind with an IT that wasn’t moving and his weapons. And a large length of chain that Erica had apparently dropped. Perhaps in shock at Derek’s injury.

Derek watched them go and felt himself break for a second time. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh I'm sorry I haven't posted this. I had a 9-5 job that just wiped me out the past month, and today was the FIRST day I wasn't exhausted enough to write. It's not my best either (Which I'm sorry) but I just knew it needed to move along.

The first thing Derek did was to chain up the IT that attacked him. The last thing Derek wanted was to be hurt again. He figured the IT would be slower when it had to break the chains before breaking him.

Then, he went back in the house. Maybe his crew felt something he could eat. A granola bar, maybe?

As he feared (and figured), there wasn’t anything left. They had cleaned it thoroughly.

Derek felt a little proud.

Sighing, he resigned to his fate and laid on the faded, outdated couch just outside the dining room and decided to sleep. Who knows, maybe he’ll turn in his slumber. Then, food wouldn’t be a problem.

* * *

He woke up, though, still completely human. He knew he should be grateful. He wasn’t looking for flesh of others to eat. Instead, he just felt...alone. Even when he was in New London he had his Pack; they kept him busy. Out here, though, there wasn’t much to distract him from thoughts of his family.

He turned over to face the living room ,and found himself face to face with the IT that had attacked him. He startled, hard, and hit his head on the arm rest behind him.

“Ow.” He muttered, rubbing his head.

The IT didn’t move, just kept staring at Derek. Like Derek was the dangerous one who was going to attack it.

Ridiculous. Derek didn’t eat brains. Derek ate human food and didn’t attack randomly because he could. He just lived by himself and ignored normal interactions.

Anyways.

Derek tried not to startle the IT too much. He didn’t know if it could even be startled. It hadn’t moved.

Cursing softly under his breath (his head still hurt after all), he decided to try getting up. Derek was expecting to die anyways. It’s not like being killed for food would’ve changed that.

The IT didn’t move, still. It slightly shifted back so Derek could swing his legs to the floor, but other than that, nothing.

Derek felt unsettled. Uncomfortable. Everything he had learned about the IT showed that it would never do this. Not attack, just stare.

“You’re not normal, huh?” Derek said. His voice felt crusty, like he hadn’t been using it for a long time. Which is silly he just talked this morning.

The IT didn’t respond, like Derek expected, just blinked and stared at Derek some more.

Derek sighed and stood up. If it hadn’t killed Derek by now, it wasn’t going to with Derek moving.

The IT took a step back, though, like it was giving him room. Like he just knew that Derek didn’t want to be near him. Which was true but how’d he know.

Derek stretched his arms above his head, that couch wasn’t too uncomfortable. He looked at the IT and saw it....Imitate him?

It looked like the IT was anyways. It was stretching his arms above his head, his flesh under his arms slightly hanging off somehow. Derek dropped his arms. The IT followed.

“Huh.” Derek chuckled, “Monkey see, monkey do.”

The IT didn’t say anything back. Shocker.

“Well.” Derek sighed, “If you’re not killing me, guess I better look for food in a more thorough way.”

The IT’s arm suddenly reached out and grabbed Derek’s upper arm, and Derek’s instincts made him grab its arm and swing him off of him.

The IT stared up at him from the ground, almost like it was...offended?

Weirdly, Derek wanted to apologize.

The IT got back up, and grabbed Derek’s arm again, except slowly. Derek raised his eyebrows, but tried to resist the urge to kill him. Just to see what was going to happen. The IT started tugging him behind the couch.

“What?” Derek shouldn’t trust him. He shouldn’t trust an IT that tried to kill him this morning.

Yet, Derek found himself following it.

It ducked down, and started feeling around on the floor boards, forcing Derek to come down with him.

It. Damnit it.

Its hand brushed over a board and pulled it up, to show...granola bars?

And bottled water?

Derek saw a note in there, and he brushing past his (It, Derek.) arm to look at it.

_Dear reader,_

_This house belonged to the Sheriff of the former town of Beacon Hills. This spot, if you found it, was left behind to help those who needs food, but cannot find any more substinance._

_If you can read this, please make sure my son Stiles is alright. I haven’t heard from him and it’s worrying me._

_Please take care of him._

_Sincerely,_

_Sheriff Stilinski_

Derek heard something whining, and he snapped his head up. The IT was whining aloud, his face turned down and his posture reading sad.

“Are you sad?” Derek found himself asking. The IT’s head started shaking, like if it could cry it would.

Then it hit him.

“Stiles?” Derek asked.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you thank you thank you thank you for your patience if you were waiting for this chapter. It's about average length, I know, but life has been kicking me in the balls, ass, and teeth. But, I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. If not, I'm sorry!

The IT flinched from Derek, and he felt like he got his answer. Even if the answer he got painted a picture he didn’t want to see.

“Is your name Stiles?” Derek asked again. It seemed that he wasn’t responsive. His chest moved oddly, like it was sobbing.

Or maybe he was panicking.

His eyes kept flickering around the room. Looking for a way out. His arms were twitching at his sides, his breathing becoming more and more ragged. Derek didn’t even realize that they breathed or could panic.

Derek, for reasons even himself couldn’t explain, grabbed Stiles by the arms and pulled him into his chest. It wasn’t comfortable for Derek. One, because he was sitting crosslegged on the floor still, and two because he knew that the IT, and any time, could and would eat him.

Instead, though, the I-he-Stiles just made a noise that sounded like a wounded animal and buried his head into Derek’s own shoulder.

Derek didn’t know what to do with a sad person, let alone something that wasn’t really a person anymore. As he felt Stiles’s arms wrap around his torso and bury in further into Derek’s shoulder, Derek realized his hands were moving up and down Stiles’s back slowly. Comforting. Sympathetic.

Derek wasn’t either of those things.

Something about Stiles’s reaction though made Derek feel a little for him, even if studies showed that they shouldn’t be feeling anymore.

And before Derek knew it, he was talking.

“I lost my family too,” He murmured to Stiles’s scalp. He leaned his head down to speak into Stiles’s hair, “Few years ago. Spontaneous attacks. They didn’t even make to change.”

Stiles whined, like he understood.

Maybe he did for all Derek knew.

“All I’m trying to say is...I’m sorry.”

Stiles didn’t respond. Derek didn’t expect one.

* * *

It occurred to Derek, later that afternoon, that he had no reason to stick around this house.

There wasn’t much food left over, and whatever food there was wouldn’t last long. People could shift anywhere from 24 hours to even a week after an attack, but it wasn’t likely if he wasn’t feeling the symptoms now he would ever change.

There wasn’t even much left around here. All the houses that would’ve been this family’s neighbors were torn or burnt down. This house was the last one standing.

This revelation came after laying on the couch in this house, scratching the scalp of some weird creature that yesterday had attacked him, but now was almost purring with Derek’s attempt of comfort.

He decided sticking around until the end of the week wouldn’t hurt. Just in case. After a week he’ll try to head back to the city.

He ignored the strange twinge in his gut about leaving.

* * *

When Derek awoke the second time that day, he realized that Stiles wasn’t standing next to the couch staring at him, but rather still on top of him staring at him. His chin rested perfectly on Derek’s sternum, his brown eyes flicking between Derek’s own features.

Derek felt that he shouldn’t be so trusting of some thing on him. He let Stiles stay there anyways. It let Derek catalog Stiles’s features too.

And allowed him time to think. Why was it acting more like a person and less like a killing machine he knew them to be?

* * *

There wasn’t much to do when you’re in a house with a creature that could kill you while you wait for yourself to maybe turn into one of those creatures too.

In fact, there wasn’t much he did do the rest of the week that he was there.

Stiles had showed him what looked like a crawl space in an old bedroom, full with books and blankets and such, all hiding behind a dresser.

Derek felt the itch to reprimand Boyd for missing this, but not only could he not do that, but he could still enjoy it now. Which is nice.

Derek found himself reading to Stiles every day. He picked a random book, crawled into the little nest that was there before, and Stiles would rest on Derek’s legs while Derek would read tales ranging from magic to mystery to adventure.

And if his other hand sometimes scratched Stiles’s scalp to relax him...well Stiles still couldn’t talk so who else would know.

* * *

A week after Derek had been there, they had company.

Derek and Stiles were in their usual spot; in their little nest, books out and reading, when suddenly Stiles scrambled up and out of the crawl space like it was on fire.

Derek sat there blinking. Stiles has never just run like that. In fact, Derek had only seen him do that when....

Crap.

Derek got out of the house and outside as quick as he could possibly run, just in time to see Stiles fighting another IT outside.

This one was the ones that made people in the new city sad. The ones that made people realize how badly gone these poor creatures have gone. They had the same appearance of the other IT’s, but skin was starting to peel off in random parts of their body, mostly around their arms and legs. Their feet were mostly all bone.

They also were the ones that Derek knew caused the most problems for the Pack. They were fearless, ruthless.

More likely to kill.

Stiles seemed to be holding his own quite well, even if the other IT was more vicious in its attacks than Stiles.

The IT swiped at Stiles’s chest, just as Stiles used his own body to twist so he get away and use his leftover momentum to kick the IT away.

The IT wasn’t leaving though. It roared and charged at Stiles, and Derek felt scared. For Stiles.

And himself. Who knew what an IT would do to him?

(He didn’t want to think about why Stiles no longer qualified as an IT in his mind. That way lay madness.)

The IT collided with Stiles, and his arms scrambled but pushed the thing off of him before taking him to the ground and just laying on him, his teeth at the IT’s throat like he was going for the kill.

Just as he was about to bite though, Derek saw Stiles hesitate.

Enough so that the IT was able to get back up and attack Stiles once again.

Derek knew what he had to do. He ran back into the house, looking for his old weapons.

“C’mon, c’mon.” He muttered under his breath. He hasn’t used them since the beginning of the week, but Stiles needed help. Derek needed to help. He remembered taking them off somewhere right around...

“A-ha!” He shouted. Right behind the couch. Perfect.

He got his gloves on, and felt the weight of the claws on his fighting fists before running out and seeing how Stiles was doing.

Not good.

The IT was now on top of Stiles, and he was definitely going for the throat, with no hesitance.

Derek reacted before he knew what he was doing.

“Hey you!” He yelled. He hoped that maybe he could distract it enough for Stiles to get free.

The IT shot its head up at stared right at Derek. It allowed for Stiles to get out from underneath him just in time for Derek to charge at the IT, grab it by the throat, and slash the head almost clear off.

Killing an IT wasn’t that hard. Minor cuts won’t do it, but if you slash its throat deep and large enough that it would’ve killed a person? That’ll do just fine.

Derek felt a splash of whatever an IT bleeds now hit his face, but he wasn’t concerned. Turning from blood was rare. Unless he had a big enough cut on his face to do so.

He knew he didn’t.

He looked over to Stiles and saw him lay there, panting.

“Are you ok?” Derek asked. He didn’t expect an answer.

He got one.

Stiles nodded (Nodded!) and made a noise with his throat which, if Derek could interpret, would sound the closest to a noise of agreement.

That’s interesting. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What, you thought I abandoned this? HA! FOOLED YOU! 
> 
> In seriousness, though, sorry if you had started reading this a long time ago and forgot about this fic in the first place, I've had a lot of things happened in my life that made writing difficult, and although this is short, it took a lot of me to just do it. I hope to be back and write the next chapter soon.

After that, Derek noticed that Stiles was making more and more human gestures than Derek thought possible.

When Derek crawled into the little nest, Stiles picked up a book and shoved it in Derek’s chest, and his face showed one of such hopefulness, Derek was powerless to resist.

The next day, Stiles’s mouth twitched, like he was trying to smile at the voice Derek used to imitate the narrator of the books. Which made Derek want to make more silly voices, just to see if he can get the same twitch again.

The day after that, Derek realized that Stiles was trying to talk. Kind of. He gestured to the nest of blankets and didn’t stop until Derek had gone in there, removed the blankets and pillows, and allowed the bedding to air outside. An unpinched eyebrow was Derek’s only indication that Stiles was even trying to show disgust.

Then, a week and a half ever since Derek’s life changed, he woke up to see Stiles staring right at Derek’s face and, with obvious pride in his eyes, said “Stiles.”

Derek fell off the couch.

* * *

“Stiles.”

Derek said it back once he got over being startled. After all, IT’s aren’t supposed to talk. IT’s aren’t supposed to have any human left. Then again, Stiles wasn’t any normal creature.   
He had a feeling that was true even when he was human.

Stiles nodded and said it again. “Stiles.”

Derek nodded back and sighed, “So now I know that’s really your name...”

“Stiles.”

Derek waved him off. They were sitting in their little blanket and pillow nest, facing each other, and although it was nice to know, there wasn’t really any reason for him to have that information. Just nice to know that he really was in Stiles’s original house, and that he wasn’t going to hurt Derek. He put his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees.

He heard Stiles shuffle out of his eyesight, and when Derek looked up, Stiles looked frustrated.

He _was frowning._

“Stiles.” He pointed to himself, then pointed to Derek.

“Uh.” Derek didn’t really know what to do with that.

His frowned paired with furrowed eyebrows, and he pointed to himself again, “Stttttiiiiiilllllleeeeeesssss.” Then he pointed to Derek and moved his hand like he was saying ‘Come on!’

Wait.

“Derek.” He finally said back, and Stiles grinned, like he taught Derek a new trick.

“You-you’re turning back.” Derek stated. Stiles tilted his head, like he needed a moment to translate it in his head, then he just smiled.

“Derek.” Was all Stiles said back.

* * *

Derek spent the rest of the day trying to get Stiles to talk back to him about other things. So far, Stiles’s words were limited to his name and Derek’s, but his gestures were getting more pronounced. And he was imitating Derek’s gestures as well. If Derek emphasized a word with his hands, Stiles did so too, but almost over the top.

Derek tried reading a book to Stiles, pointing out the words to him, like he could jump-start more behavior from him; what really happened was Stiles said “Derek.” in a serious deadpan voice.

That’s the other thing Derek was noticing. Stiles was slowly getting a sense of humor. He would mimic Derek’s tone of seriousness, get playful when Derek got frustrated.

At the end of the day, though, when Derek went to go lay down on the couch (in what he deemed as his bed for now), Stiles followed him to the couch and laid on top of him, snuggling deep into his chest and fell asleep quickly.

That cemented the idea in Derek’s mind; Stiles was turning back. As he drifted to sleep, he started to plan. The world needed to know.

* * *

Stiles was gone when Derek woke up. He stretched and got up to look for him. Derek didn’t want to look too deep into why it was that Stiles was something Derek felt he needed for his day. When it used to center around his pack and somehow he’s started to feel this for Stiles after only a few weeks. When he took a long time to warm up to Boyd, Erica, Isaac...

It was just easier to try to shove it all down.

He did find Stiles eventually, in the little nest that they had made.

He also tried to ignore the feeling of contentment that little hole made him.

Stiles was curled up in the nest looking at the letter that Derek had found. It didn’t look like he was trying to read it, but he seemed to be just looking at the letters, like he was trying to pull the writer out of the paper.

“Stiles, we’ve got to go to New London.”

Stiles looked up from the letter, his nose wrinkling. “Ok.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok I'm back again. Finally. Sorry for the wait, hope this is worth it.   
> Find me on tumblr (beatlesgrl.tumblr.com) if you want to cheer me on and/or keep me company.

* * *

 

Convincing an undead person to go with him back to a city where if he even shows his face he’ll be destroyed was a lot easier than Derek expected it to be. After searching the house one more time for things that’d help guide him back (a map of the area before it became New London, thankfully the city streets still had signs, even though they were bullet-riddled), and some coaxing of Stiles to put on something to help protect from the environment (Stiles, like most IT that Derek had come across, was as naked as they come, and with him slowly gaining human intelligence again, his posture was changing so his.... _ humanness _ was more pronounced), they set off in the direction of the new city. 

Of course, Derek knew that it’d be a long long long walk, but what he didn’t realize was that Stiles would take to talking now that he could. 

_ A lot.  _

“Derek Derek Derek Derek what London?” 

Stiles crinkled his nose a lot more too, like he knew that he wasn’t making any sense, but Stiles didn’t know how to talk in full sentences, so his words were a little....disjointed. 

Derek shifted his pack of supplies (a makeshift one made from a pillowcase and sheets from the house - Stiles hit him a couple times afterwards but he carries his with care)  and tried to think of how to even answer that question. He wondered, idly, if Stiles would even understand the story. 

“It’s where I live..lived.” He answered. Walking through these neighborhoods, seeing all the cars and littered trash everywhere, made his heart pang, even though a few weeks ago he had driven through there without a thought of what that could mean. 

Stiles tilted his head to the side, nearly tripping on his own feet. Walking was not his strong suit, and Derek wondered if that was something left over from when he was human. “Lived?” 

Derek sighed as he steered him away from a deep pothole, bones scattered on the bottom, “I don’t think they kept my apartment open this long.” 

How would he even go about getting a home? All his memories from his family were just...gone. He stopped in the middle of the road to get his bearings. He didn’t have many possessions from his family still there, pictures and such long ago burned in his old house, and cameras weren’t deemed a worthy thing to remake and reproduce. But the apartment itself had Laura’s blanket she had made by hand, with the stain from when she had cut herself sewing. Her last adventure in stitching. 

And the books his mom had painstakingly recovered from the Pack’s outings before he joined. She had asked them to bring just one book home for her, in secret, and they had obliged the kind woman who had fire in her eyes. And all the notes she had taken about the outbreak, possible cures, just gone. 

His mother had been a researcher before. Talia Hale was not the best researcher, but she worked the hardest. She was determined to make their lives after just as normal as before. She claimed that a cure could be found if she read  _ one more book _ ,  _ one more formula _ ...

The cruel irony of course is that when the IT got to her, they went for her head first. 

He felt a tugging on his arm, breaking him out of his reverie. Turning his head, he saw Stiles with an expression of sadness and regret. “Home.” He said. 

Derek blinked a couple times, “Yeah I suppose it was home.”

Stiles shook his head and tugged a couple more times, “No. Home.” 

Derek gave him an expression of confusion. 

Stiles huffed and slid his hand from just below his elbow to Derek’s hand. He interlaced his fingers and held them up to eye level. “You and me Home now.” His eyes glinted with determination. 

In Derek’s mind, the dots connected. Stiles was Derek’s new home he meant. As long as Stiles had Derek he considered himself happy. 

Derek squeezed Stiles’s hand back and Stiles’s face lit up like a lamp. Like he had taught Derek a new word, or relearned something important. 

Derek supposed he had. 

He dropped their hands to their sides but kept holding on. “At any rate,” He continued, walking now with Stiles in tow, “It should be about a week before we finally get back to New London.” 

Stiles asked, “New home?” 

Derek squeezed his hand, “New home.”

* * *

Of course, a week was a long time to walk, and in Stiles’s mind, it apparently was unforgivable.

One hour into the walk (Derek didn’t want to think about why they still held hands it just was something he chose to ignore) Stiles started to whine. 

Apparently being forced to walk was worth learning to talk even more. 

“Derek how far?” He began. 

“Far.”

“Derek I’m tired.” He punctuated this one with an overextended k.

“We’ll rest tonight.”

“Derek I’m hungry.” He actually stomped his foot midwalk for that one. 

“We ate this morning.”

“Derek.”

“Derek.”

“ _ Derek. _ ”

And that’s how Derek ended up piggy-backing Stiles and carrying the supplies at the same time. 

* * *

After a whole day of walking (and carrying Stiles) they finally stopped just as the sun was about to go down in a clearing. It looked like it was originally the woods, a preserve maybe? The trees had long ago taken over all vegetation, and he could hardly hear any animals scuttling about.

Animals were easy prey for the IT. Add that to the fact that humans had disappeared and the IT were looking for food...

Derek wasn’t surprised to not even see a squirrel.

He set up camp using some of the old sheets as a tent, getting a fire started as soon as he could. Fire attracted the IT, but it also killed them, so they tended to stay away. 

Stiles seemed fascinated with everything he could see. Every so often Derek would have to check behind him to make sure Stiles was still wandering about before turning back to the fire, trying to determine what they should eat. They had a few granola bars left, and the water was long gone but... 

He heard Stiles squeal behind him, and when he turned he saw Stiles running triumphantly back with a fish. 

A fish? He didn’t even realize there was a creek nearby. 

There must have been, though, because Stiles was soaking wet, carrying what looked like a small fish, still struggling in his hands. 

Guess it wasn’t granola after all, he mused. 

Right as Stiles tripped and dropped the fish.

* * *

“How did you catch that fish?” Derek asked later on.

The fish cooked easily, had been eaten fast, and now they lay under the sheet, looking up at the dull color. 

He felt Stiles shrug next to him. Stiles had been unusually quiet after catching the fish and tripping. He didn’t try to talk during dinner, and he had hinted at wanting to sleep after he was done. 

“Did you fish from before?” Derek tried, but still, no answer. 

He thought back to how Stiles even knew there was a creek nearby to fish in, and dread pooled in his stomach. “Did...did you and your dad come here?” 

He felt Stiles freeze. 

He struggled with what to say. Does he try to take it back? Does he try to hug him? What does he do-

“No.”

Derek moved his head so he can stare at Stiles, who was apparently already looking at him. 

Stiles closed his eyes and took a deep breath, “I...ran when I turned.” 

Derek’s mouth parted open, but Stiles continued, still refusing to look at Derek, “Dad was sheriff, didn’t want to hurt him, ran to woods. Didn’t want to hurt anybody. Fished. Hunted. Few years maybe.” 

Derek gasped. An IT fighting off his own nature? Trying to stay human through that? How did Stiles even...

Stiles opened his eyes and looked right into Derek’s, “Went home to see Dad one more time, just one more. Dad was gone. Everything was g-gone.” 

Tears formed in Stiles’s eyes, and Derek acted on instinct. He brought Stiles’s head to his chest and wrapped himself around Stiles, who just curled into Derek and started to sob. 

Derek held Stiles through the tears, felt some from his own eyes as well, for the loss that both Derek and him had gone through already. 


	7. Chapter 7

Derek awoke to find himself wrapped tightly around Stiles, a slightly damp back, and his toes so cold they felt frozen. 

He hadn’t slept so well in years. 

Stiles was wrapped just as tightly around Derek. They were facing each other, arms tangled, legs tangled, faces inches apart. 

A face that made Derek realize something: he had never seen Stiles sleep. 

Usually when Derek was asleep, he assumed so was Stiles, but the more he thought about it, the more he had never actually seen Stiles show any sign of rest. No napping, no overall fatigue, nothing. 

Right now, however, Stiles was sleeping. 

And Derek was glad he hadn’t seen it yet. 

Stiles in sleep was... _ serene. _ His eyelids fluttered occasionally, and he slept with his mouth so wide open he was shocked that there was no drool. Stiles looked ridiculous when he slept, and yet it was so peaceful it made Derek’s heart ping to know not everything had been so peaceful for Stiles. 

Carefully, he untangled himself from Stiles’s (surprisingly tight) arms and sat up to look around the campsite. The sheet had been knocked from over their heads, which explained Derek’s damp back. The fire had long ago gone out, and Derek thanked his past experiences from before to know to build a safe fire. He didn’t see any IT anywhere which did surprise him. 

Then again, there had been no humans in these woods in so long, they probably long ago abandoned the site. 

Gradually, he stood up to shake the feeling back into his limbs and wandered over to their gear. He paused, however, before his hand had closed. If there was a creek around here, then maybe Stiles and him could fill up their water. Who knows when the next available water source will be. 

Derek ducked into the pillowcase and brought out the water bottles. He checked behind him to see if Stiles was awake, and he had to stifle a snort at the picture Stiles made. He had turned so he was positioned with his ass in the air, knees by his elbows and what looked like the beginning of a snore starting. 

He shook his head and started looking for the creek. Better to let the non-undead sleep. 

* * *

After filling up the water bottles to (irresponsibly) full, he meandered back to camp to see if Stiles was awake yet or still like the de-

Still sleeping. 

Stiles was not sleeping actually; in fact, he seemed to be awake and fiddling with the pillowcase pack Derek had been carrying yesterday. 

Actually, as Derek got closer, he saw Stiles was looking through it, but when he heard Derek coming, he snapped his head up and put the case aside. Maybe he was just bored. 

“Derek!” Stiles cried out happily, his face breaking into a huge smile, “I slept!” 

Derek approached Stiles and threw their bottles on the ground (One hit Stiles’s thigh and he cried out in mock outrage, making Derek smirk slightly), “I know I saw that this morning.”

Stiles waved his hands around, “No, I slept! No slept since...” His motions stilled, but his grin didn’t falter, “Since bite. I’m becoming human!”

Derek did smile fully, “I know. I’m proud of you.” 

Stiles puffed out his chest in obvious pride, “I’m human.”

* * *

Stiles seemed more inclined to actually walk that second day now that he was turning human (“I’m human Derek!”, “I know Stiles.”), but it didn’t extend to the packs, which Derek still had to carry.

They were now walking out of the woods that surrounded that town, some straggling trees still around them. Derek wasn’t sure still why they hadn’t had another run-in with an IT, but he didn’t want to count his chickens before they hatched; it could still happen. 

Stiles was marching alongside Derek, his head held high. He may still feel smug for a while now that he’s realized what Derek’s realized all along. Stiles was humming some song from before, a slight bop in his step. 

It was so adorable in Derek’s mind. 

They soon encountered a road, and after looking at his map, he realized that if they followed that road, they would make it to New London. 

So off they went. 

* * *

“Derek! You know people dream black and white until color TV?”

“Derek! You know first film about moon people?” 

“Derek! You know conspiracy about mo-”

“Stiles, please be quiet.” 

* * *

That night, after they had made camp and Stiles had somehow procured dinner again (“Fish!” “Stiles where did you find this?” “Brought it!” “You carried that fish but not our packs? Where?” Which then prompted him to wash his pack because the answer was in Derek’s bag), Derek was looking at their map, plotting in his mind just how far they had to walk and how long it would take them, when he heard Stiles announce, “I’m bi!”

Derek jerked his head up and watched as Stiles blink at Derek, like he hadn’t meant to say that. 

“I’m sorry, come again?” Derek asked. 

Stiles smiled, “I’m remember more. Before...I had just come out. I’m bi!” 

Derek felt his lips twitch, but he fought his smile, “Is that so?” 

Stiles nodded enthusiastically, “Maybe I had boyfriend or girlfriend. You have boyfriend or girlfriend?” 

Derek blinked at the question. He wasn’t quite sure what to respond with. He hadn’t dated in a long time, since even from Before, but he had...had dates.    
None of them really worked out past the bedroom. 

The worst one was Kate, though, who was amazing in bed, but constantly tried to get him to pretend to be an IT so she could “hunt him” and “take him down”. 

Jennifer was almost as bad, but even she would draw the limit at “pretend to kill their bed partner”. 

Boys, though. Derek had been with boys as well, but none lasted more than a night, and he couldn’t remember their names now. 

Derek cleared his throat, “No. In...uh...They don’t really date.” 

Stiles tilted his head, “Why?” 

Derek shrugged, “What’s the point if we might die, probably.” 

Stiles snorted, “That’s stupid.” 

Derek shrugged again. 

Stiles gestured with his arms to the world, “You know humans need other people, and sure the world may suck, but we need each other, we need...we need...” He was getting more and more frustrated, but Derek saw something snap in him, “We can’t let the fears in our life win over the happiness. We have to be brave and ignore those kind of fears, of loss and death, and embrace what we have today. There’s beauty in the world still, and love is one of those. To ignore it just to avoid it is selfish and lets the fear win.” 

Stiles started to huff and puff, and Derek didn’t have a response to that. Leave it to Stiles to make his first full sentence about a topic that Derek had no good argument for. 

Stiles flinched and got up from the campfire, “I’m going to bed.” He passed Derek, but he hesitated before murmuring, “Goodnight Derek.” 

He left Derek sitting by the fire, blinking, wondering what the hell prompted Stiles to act that way. 

**Author's Note:**

> I dunno how many chapters this will be, I don't know if I'll add more characters or not, I don't know much about anything at this point. But! I hope to keep it updated frequently. Enjoy!


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